Working with typefaces is an important part of the graphic design process. While you may be able to identify many popular fonts by eye, new fonts are introduced all the time and you may encounter interesting typefaces that you don't recognize. There are several tools you can use to learn how to identify a font; navigating the process is just a matter of getting your font sample ready and investing the necessary time.

Steps

1

Prepare your typeface sample. To help you identify a font, you will need a sample image of the font. If possible, use an image that is clear, has large letters, and is perfectly horizontal. If there is excessive background noise in your image sample, you may want to touch it up in an image editing program. The clearer your font sample, the better luck you will have with many font identifying techniques.

2

Upload your image into the What the Font identification tool. What the Font is a service run by MyFonts.com, and it includes a helpful tool for identifying fonts. Simply upload your text sample, and What the Font will attempt to identify it within seconds. You can adjust the settings to make sure that each letter has correctly been identified. Results will be best if the image sample is clear with large letters.

3

Use the font identification tool at FontShop.com. FontShop's identification tool is not automatic, and does not let you upload an image of your font. Instead, you will answer increasingly specific questions about the appearance of your font, and at the end of the questions, the website will provide you with a list of possible matching fonts.

4

Buy the FontBook and use it to identify your typeface. The FontBook, published by FontShop, is an 1800-page tome containing samples of nearly every typeface in common usage. The book provides a great reference, but it is quite expensive and would take a long time to look through.

5

Use the font identification tool at Identifont.com. Identifont's service works similarly to FontShop's service by asking a series of increasingly specific questions about your font. Each question has an "I don't know" option, which is helpful if your text sample is unclear or incomplete. Once you have answered all the questions, Identifont provides you with several typefaces that match your description.

6

Submit your font sample to other discussion boards or groups. If none of the above options work, you can try searching out other typeface-related forums. Flickr.com has a user group dedicated to identifying fonts called Typeface Identification. What the Font also maintains a discussion forum where you can get help identifying a font.